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I've been reading the forums for awhile, and decided that palm pressing was the way to go. I have been exclusively palm pressing for a couple of years.

I'm pregnant, and the doctor says maybe to lay off the palm pressing for awhile, so I'm finally going to invest in a press.

I mainly do plexi-glass etchings about 5" x 7" or a little larger.

Will this press work: (type in www) utrechtart.com/Utrecht-Baby-Press-Package-MP69000-i1016266.utrecht
Will the setting come loose? Will the pressure be enough?

If this is no good, I have a friend who repairs presses for a living who will build me one. I think I can get it across the country for less than the Richeson Baby Press or the Dick Blick Econo models that everyone recommended in previous posts on this topic.

Hello Diana
thanks for posting
that press from Utrecht looks like a Fome baby press (made in Italy)
I think there might be some comments about this press found in past post archives. Believe it had mixed reviews but it has been a while so cannot remember.
If you can someone build you a press and inexpensively that is all the better really. I have a Richeson baby press which cost me substantially more than the Utrecht press, but it was a good investment as it allows me to do a variety of printmaking.

Good luck

ps. if I find the archive post on that Utrecht press will post it into this thread

__________________The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work. Emile Zola

Hello Diana
I have a Richeson baby press which cost me substantially more than the Utrecht press, but it was a good investment as it allows me to do a variety of printmaking.

Good luck
thread

I can second the thought on the Richeseon Baby press. I was lucky to find one, second hand, barely used, and available locally for less than half of the normal retail price. It has served me very well for the modest scale printing (wood and linoleum and one semi-successful collograph). Well machined, accurate and bulletproof.

here is one review I found on that press from an earlier archived post by forum member and occasional contributer Charles Morgan. Sorry I tried to paste this in here as a quote but no option available to do so:
Here is what Charles wrote, but take note his review would include other types of printmaking usage with the press which may or may not be applicable in your case if it is just for printing drypoint:

I do own the small press from Jerry's, and it has a number of serious flaws. For one thing, I found it very fidly to get the pressure right, and had great difficulty printing intaglio with it. Also the maximum separation betwen the rollers is quite small, and so you will have difficulty printing any but the thinest woodblocks or mounted lino. I found the crank handle to be almost unusable, so I made a "star wheel" for mine.

The small diameter rollers on both these presses are not very suitable, as they cause severe blanket creep ... which means your paper is likely to shift. In the end, I used contact cement to glue velcro onto the ends of the bed, and then stitched velcro onto the ends of the blanket to help cut down the creep.

Even with my modifications, which improved the Jerry's press greatly, I would not recommend it.

I would advise you to consider other options ... (1) Even paying someone to build you a bottle jack press would be cheaper and you would be better satisfied. (2) Or one of the smaller Richeson etching presses mentioned would be a better bet than the Speedball. (3) If you are only doing relief work, you might be just as happy with a home made proofing press, although personally I find the restriction to have all blocks "type high" to be a royal pain. (4) If you are thinking of going for a proofing press, experiment with smaller blocks and a kitchen rolling pin ... put rails along side your block of the same thickness as your block (or lino) to support the ends of the rolling pin. If you are happy with the results, it is a simple matter to make a longer "rolling pin" out of pvc sewer pipe. If you want one but feel unable to make a pvc roller yourself, just contact me off list ... I will send you details of how to do it (very simple) and I am sure you can find someone local to make one for you for just a few dollars.

Cheers ....... Charles

ps. he makes a good point about blanket creep and his remedy for it is worth noting

__________________The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work. Emile Zola

The Jerrys/utrecht press has been discussed on here before. Very mixed reviews. Most do NOT like it, especially if they have had experience with a better press.

The Blick presses are a real step up- I've got an Econo-Etch II. It is a great little machine. Sounds like it'll cover all your needs size wise. But, It's still an 'entry level' press- If you are used to a more high end etching press, you'll probably be disappointed!

Having one made is a great option, if you know someone who can do it. I built one, with 24" rollers. It was covered in 2 different threads-

It took me a while (3 yrs!) to build it, I stared planning and gathering parts, then other things got in the way. It is a great press, and is big enough to do anything that I'll ever need to do with it!

-Andrew

__________________

I always welcome critiques and criticisms of my work! That's the only way to improve!

Hi All,
Bridog- I noticed that the ultrecht press resembled the Jerry's school press, but not exactly. I'm going to assume that for my purposes I probably need a roller bigger than the skinny rollers both of those presses offer. Thanks for digging up the old post!

Andrew- thanks for the advice. I hope my friend works faster than you, because I have shows planned during the next 3 months! Of course, my press is smaller, and my friend already has rollers and spare parts around because he is a press repairman. He's thinking about building presses as a side project. I'll post my finished press for folks in the future who need a good printing press option for a good price.

Thanks so much for your answers. It kills me to wait, but I know it will be good, and it's so much more meaningful to have a press built by a friend.